Author GP Hutchinson

Shout-outs and Thanks

Like everything else in its category, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has been closed during the COVID-19 crisis, but they've been making available some fantastic virtual tours, classes, and interviews. This week, I took part in a virtual field trip that focused on the evolution of baseball uniforms, as well as an interview with Janet Marie Smith, who played a huge role in the design of Orioles Park at Camden Yards, major renovations and upgrades to Dodgers' Stadium at Chavez Ravine, and upgrades to Fenway Park, the grand old home of Boston's Red Sox. Kudos to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for keeping things going while we wait for baseball play to resume.

The National Ballpark Museum in Denver, Colorado, may be likewise temporarily closed, but General Manager Raelee Frazier says the museum has exciting plans in place for the summer. Recognized by Smithsonian Books as one of the top 21 finest private baseball collections in the world, the National Ballpark Museum will offer visitors the opportunity to see artifacts from historic ballparks, programs, uniforms, photographs, and much, much more. While we anticipate the museum's reopening and events such as a ballpark-related scavenger hunt for kids, the museum's blog offers fun and informative baseball reading.

Members of the Eclipse Base Ball Club of Elkton, Maryland, are making preparations to host the 11th annual Gettysburg National 19th C Base Ball Festival on July 18-19, 2020. On those dates, Schroeder Farm at 965 Pumping Station Rd, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, will be the site of competition between 26 baseball clubs, all playing according to 1860s rules and dressed in period uniforms. It should be quite a show and loads of fun. Fantastic food and old-time baseball-themed souvenirs will be available. There will even be 19th century style baseball cards, featuring the likenesses of the various participating teams. Here's hoping the festival can proceed as planned.

I would like to thank Freebooksy.com and Written Word Media for selecting my recent release Over the Right Field Wall to be featured in their May 13, 2020, special edition newsletter. This is a very nice honor and means a great deal to me in terms of promotional support.